The Best Time and Detailed Repotting Methods for Tree-Stump Bonsai
April is a good time for repotting bonsai: potted trees grow in limited potting soil, and after a certain number of years the nutrients are exhausted, the soil layer becomes compacted, and the roots become densely packed and squeeze against one another, making it difficult for new roots to grow. It is best to switch to a larger pot and fill it with fresh soil (changing the soil without changing the pot is also acceptable) to ensure the normal growth of the potted tree. Experts customarily call this “repotting.” Repotting interval: for flowering types, repot every other year; for deciduous miscellaneous trees, once every 2 to 3 years; for pines and cypresses, once every 3 to 4 years. By tree age: miniature bonsai, because of their small pots, are repotted once a year; young trees once every 2 years; mature trees once every 2 to 3 years; old trees once every 4 to 5 years. Repotting season: generally it can be done in both spring and autumn, with spring being preferable. In spring, it is usually from late February to late April; in autumn, mid-October to mid-November is suitable. However, because the physiological characteristics of potted trees differ, repotting seasons also vary. For example, the elm is cold- and drought-tolerant, so it can be repotted around the time of Great Cold; while orange jasmine, Fujian tea, Japanese privet, and small-leaved banyan all share the traits of preferring warmth and fearing cold, so repotting should properly be done around Qingming.
Repotting method: before repotting, the potting soil should be slightly dry. Use a bamboo stick to loosen part of the edge soil around the tree stump, turn the pot upside down and lift it up, and tip the potted tree out together with the soil. Use a bamboo stick to remove the old soil around the root system, but the clump of soil attached to the roots must be retained. How much soil clump to retain varies according to tree species. For pines and cypresses, about half can be retained, while for elm, snowbush (Serissa), azalea, gardenia, and tree species with many fine roots that grow easily, most of the old soil can be removed. Next, cut off some aged fibrous roots so that new roots will grow again. Before repotting, prepare dry soil or river mud and divide it into three grades: coarse, medium, and fine. The coarse grade is about the size of a thumb. Line the drainage hole with a curved tile piece, place the coarse soil particles at the bottom of the pot to aid drainage and aeration, and position the stump in an appropriate place in the pot (the ratio between tree and pot edge should generally be 4:6 or 3:7, that is, the tree should be slightly offset toward any one side, left, right, front, or back). Place the slightly finer crushed soil around the base of the stump and press it tightly against the roots, then cover the pot surface with coarse soil, and use a bamboo stick to poke and firm it so that it clings tightly to the soil and is compacted, making the stump stable. Then water twice with a watering can. The first watering can be called the settling water, with the limit being when water is seen seeping from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. After about 15 minutes, water a second time, making sure the roots and branches fully absorb it. Place it in a cool, wind-sheltered spot. After that, water once every three or four days, and simply mist the tree body once or twice a day. Only after one week move it outdoors to receive sunlight. Do not fertilize within one month. For a newly repotted tree stump, it is best to cut off all the leaves to reduce water evaporation. The pot used for repotting must be washed clean. If using an old pot, first scrub it clean and dry it in the sun before use; if using a newly purchased pot, soak it in water for one or two days, commonly called “reducing the fire,” so that it absorbs water before use.
How to Make Tree-Stump Bonsai: A Tree-Stump Bonsai Making Tutorial
How to Make Tree-Stump Bonsai will introduce tree-stump bonsai making in detail, including material selection and shaping methods
(1) Craft Techniques
In the making of tree-stump bonsai, including the cultivation process, various techniques are often used interchangeably, such as splitting, chiseling, carving, engraving, tearing, grinding, bumping, etching, dyeing, and scorching, each using different tools and methods.
① Splitting: using a sharp tool to boldly split the trunk and other parts that need processing, or to split the main trunk open lengthwise. Creating wounds and transformations is one processing method for shaping ancient, withered tree stumps, but it leaves axe marks and the drawback of stiff, rigid wound surfaces.
② Chiseling: using a carpenter's steel chisel to cut and chisel the trunk and branches to a suitable depth (width, length) and to create changes such as rises and hollows. If handled improperly, artificial chisel marks are obvious.
③ Carving: using a carving tool to carve out the xylem so that unsatisfactory areas become more natural and reasonable.
④ Engraving: engraving is similar in content to carving, but the techniques differ. Use an engraving tool to finely engrave and further shape the tree's branches and trunk in conformity with natural patterns, giving an ancient, withered feel. In particular, engraving the area around wounds in the cortex flat helps healing.
⑤ Tearing: using hand pliers to tear the bark or xylem fibers of the part being shaped, making the branches and trunk vigorous and natural.
⑥ Grinding: using hand tools, machinery, and so on to grind away the artificial harshness of the processed surface, making the wound surface natural and smooth, as if formed by nature.
⑦ Bumping: using a hammer or other blunt instrument to knock against the bark surface, applying physical stimulation to form wound transformations. After these heal, they form “tree burls and knobs,” making the trunk simple and unusual.
⑧ Etching: using acid and other chemical treatment methods to process the carved and chiseled xylem, achieving natural aging of the processed surface (prevent contamination of the bark and dripping into the soil).
⑨ Dyeing: using pigments, sulfur, and so on to brush exposed branches and trunk (where bark has been removed to reveal xylem), making them simple and natural,
looking like many-year-old withered trunk (branch) or white branch, clearly different in texture from freshly peeled xylem.
⑩ Scorching: using an electric soldering iron to scorch and burn the xylem (the parts that have been carved), causing changes in shade and color, and imitating the ancient appearance caused by lightning strikes and fire, making the naturally carved surface more plain and unadorned (although the carved surface is treated naturally, its color is uniform; after scorching it becomes more natural).
To make a good bonsai, the important factors are the material, the understanding and comprehension of the material, and the technical treatment of the material. The creation of bonsai is the whole process of thinking and doing. Thinking is conception, and doing is making, the process of implementing techniques, using technical means to achieve the form and charm envisioned in the conception, and thus completing the creative process.
Before doing, the idea comes first; conception comes before making, and during making the conception is further refined. Below, the shaping process is introduced with emphasis on techniques.
(2) Material Selection
Different growth years and growth environments of various trees will form their respective external characteristics and inherent style and appeal.
Generally speaking, medium-sized tree-stump material is very difficult to choose, because unlike small and miniature bonsai it cannot “win by being small” and has great plasticity, allowing arbitrary modification; nor is it like old-stump (large-stump) bonsai, where only the form and meaning of “old, large, ancient, and hoary” material are taken and only partial modification is needed. Medium-sized tree stumps lie between the two: compared with old (large) tree stumps they appear lacking in external form, and compared with small tree stumps they are harder to shape, especially reflected in the difficulty of shaping the main trunk.
There are two situations in material selection. First, the maker already has a basic conception and then goes to look for material, calmly selecting from many materials, and whichever is felt to meet the envisioned conditions can be chosen. This method is called selecting material according to the theme, that is, targeted material selection.
The second situation is based on material already at hand, or ideal material found by chance, analyzing what kind of shaping it suits, and applying accumulated experience to work according to the material. This belongs to improvisation.
Generally, the requirements for material used to make a solitary-appreciation bonsai are relatively high. Because the solitary-appreciation tree exists independently in the pot, with no accompaniment and no covering, a slight carelessness will affect the aesthetic effect. A comprehensive-appreciation bonsai, however, is formed into a scene by multiple factors and is an integrated whole constituting the entire picture; various materials can make up for each other's shortcomings and conceal deficiencies.
Therefore, for material chosen as a solitary-appreciation bonsai, its tree stump must be carefully examined from root, trunk, branches, and leaves. The roots must not only be raised and exposed, Coiling and twisting, but also vigorous and powerful, with the mood of being rooted in the great earth and unmovable by shaking. The trunk must be well proportioned in thickness from top to bottom, both thick and strong yet showing ancient hoariness, including the wrinkles and creases of the bark layer on the trunk, the aged look of the nodes, and even the xylem withered and exposed, as the marks carved by the years; one must also consider whether it can be bent into a posture, which is the key to making bonsai. Sometimes when the main trunk is not easy to bend, the planting angle can be changed.
For the arrangement of side branches, their number, mutual relationships, length and thickness, contrast relationships, and so on, overall consideration must also be given. The skeleton composing the tree stump is the trunk and side branches, while the flesh and blood body often depends on the combination and variation of small branches and leaves. In addition, the original height of the material and the height obtained after shaping, that is, the final height after the trunk is bent or pruned and trunk-cut in technical treatment, whether the ratio of these two heights and the spatial relationship within the pot are harmonious, whether the material's growth vigor is strong, and how the fibrous roots are growing are all elements of material selection.
For medium-sized bonsai, it is best to choose material that has already been pot-grown, because after shaping surgery there is an adaptation process. If it is wild or dug from the ground, it lacks the transitional stage of pot culture, and after shaping and potting the damage is greater, making it harder to adapt than pot-grown material, affecting growth and affecting survival. Some medium-sized tree stumps look fairly aged and gnarled, but in fact their growth vigor is declining. Once shaped, pruned, and transplanted, they are difficult to recover and remain stagnant rather than thriving, “prematurely aged,” which is a defect of the material and must be noted during selection.
When composing a scene and laying it out, multiple pieces of material are used. In addition to considering the above conditions, attention must also be paid to reasonable mutual coordination and contrast relationships. The more trees there are, the more complex the contrast relationships become, and the more carefully they must be chosen, ensuring that host and guest coordinate and echo the theme. Do not simply think that more trees can mutually compensate for each one's shortcomings while ignoring the various organic connections among them. Material also has front and back sides. When making, one cannot insist that the original sun-facing side be the front; rather, one should seek its best angle, including a comprehensive examination of roots, trunk, branches, and crown, and combine this with the future form's up-down and front-back relationships to determine the new viewing face of the shape.
Incidentally, do not take material back for making after rain or when water has accumulated. On the one hand, the root soil is damp and muddy, inconvenient for loosening soil and planting; on the other hand, wet leaves stick to the hands, making operation unpleasant, and leaves and needles are easily brittle and broken. In particular, when trunk and branches contain too much water, they are more likely to break when being shaped. During making, the root soil must be dry. Beforehand, water less or stop watering to ensure smooth progress of the work.
(3) Thinning and Pruning
This is the first step to clear obstacles for shaping. Although during material selection a basic conception has already been formed in response to the rough, wild state of the material, and preliminary boundaries for the new form have already been considered, during shaping useless and obstructive branches will interfere with observation and thinking and hinder shaping. To clarify matters, the material must be given moderate thinning and pruning to facilitate the next step of consideration.
When starting, one must concentrate and think quietly: where is the front, what is the angle, what is the shaping extent of the main trunk, whether to develop along the existing tendency or completely transform it, branch length, spreading angle, where to keep, where to cut, and so on. Although these are not final decisions, a rough outline must still be worked out.
Thinning and pruning itself is an artistic handling technique, laying a good foundation for later shaping and removing obstacles to wrapping wire. It differs from ordinary tree pruning, which only considers ventilation and light, basic balance, and other general, purely horticultural techniques. During thinning and pruning, attached old leaves, yellow leaves, diseased and dead branches, and stagnant weak branches should be removed as appropriate. Some stagnant dead branches may be retained to balance the picture and enhance the appearance of ancient hoariness and wild charm.
Thinning and pruning must be done cautiously, better less than more, better long than short, cutting less and keeping more. This leaves room for carelessness in conception and making; after the shaping is finalized, further processing and setting can be done. Otherwise, excessive action cannot be undone.
(4) Shaping
After the material is selected and carefully observed and studied, once there is creative intention and desire, and one feels confident in expressing this intention and desire in a vivid form, this expression process is called making.
Making bonsai is like playing chess: one cannot care about the gain or loss of a single move or piece in a way that affects the overall situation. The same applies to bonsai: do not spare a single branch or leaf in a way that affects the entire shaping, and do not recklessly prune without regard for the overall situation.
① Shaping's reference to nature: making bonsai is not purely a technical process; more importantly, it is the expression of artistic conception. One should entrust feeling to nature; whether the envisioned form is good or bad must be realized by one's own hands.
The beauty of a bonsai work lies first in the beauty of its form. Beauty of form absorbs and gathers the various peculiar features of trees in nature. Large trees and ancient trees growing in the wild have lower branches spreading flat or drooping, middle branches extending flat or slightly upward, and upper branches turning upward, with the overall crown forming a triangular relationship of large below and small above. The reason branches form this regular relationship is to spread the leaves more widely and obtain more sunlight. Thus lower branches inevitably extend outward to compete for sunlight and gradually droop under the influence of gravity. Upper branches are in the range receiving the most light, unobstructed and unimpeded, and grow upward. Middle branches lie between the two, forming different extending postures. Furthermore, when a tree grows to a certain height, the top shoots resist nature, and small branches become gnarled and twisted. It is commonly said that a big tree attracts the wind; the tall tree body sways and rubs in the wind, and the branches are often under physical stimulation, appearing gnarled, vigorous, and short. From a biological perspective, short small branches have good physical properties and are not easily broken. All these become the basis of reference in tree-stump shaping. Of course, it also depends on artistic pruning in future maintenance to further perfect the form and reach aesthetic requirements.
② Root protection: whether pot-grown or field-grown, after taking the material, pay attention to checking the condition of the root surface. For those not exposed, the surface soil may be gently scraped away to observe whether there are usable and ornamental areas. Combine this with the condition of the main trunk to determine the main viewing face of the shape, and do not bury ornamental parts of the roots or deviate from the direction of the main face.
Branch Growth
(1) The growth pattern of trees in nature forms an upright triangle (small above, large below); lower branches droop (branch length droops under gravity), upper branches turn upward (sufficient sunlight), and middle branches lie between the two.
(2) The branches of tall trees are gnarled and vigorous.
During making, do not easily shake all the soil off the root ball, and do not use sharp tools to scrape it, so as not to injure the fibrous roots. The root ball can first be wrapped in plastic film for protection; it can also be supported firmly with broken pot pieces for protection. Among these, the growth vigor of medium-sized bonsai is far inferior to that of small tree stumps. Its degree of lignification is high, and after injury it is not easy to heal. In particular, the vital roots must be strictly protected. Medium-sized bonsai also take a somewhat longer time to make, and root respiration and absorption will be affected. In short, during the shaping process, in order to reduce root damage as much as possible, think things through more thoroughly and protect them better.
③ Shaping methods for the main trunk and hard branches: the success or failure of tree-stump bonsai shaping depends on the morphological changes of the main trunk and side branches and their mutual harmony. For the material, if the main trunk can be shaped with iron wire, insert a suitable thick iron wire from the back of the root (after determining the main face to be shaped), and wind it upward diagonally at a 60° angle to the pot surface (Figure 4-117). Insert the wire avoiding obstructing roots, and keep it as close to the bark surface as possible without loosening. Relying on the hardness of the metal wire itself (overcoming elasticity) and applying a little artificial pressure, one hand can wind upward while the other hand immediately follows by pressing down, preventing wandering and springing loose.
Insert the wire close against the tree root
Wind the wire upward at a 60° angle to the pot surface
To avoid injury to the bark of the trunk and side branches, first wrap and bind tightly with hemp husk, palm fiber, or other tough, moisture-retaining, breathable material. The wrapping direction should be the same as the later wire-wrapping direction, and the twisting direction of the wire should be synchronized with the bending and twisting direction of the trunk and branches. Only when the three are united can the form be well controlled and the exterior appear clean and neat.
Wrap with hemp husk and wind with wire;
the twisting direction of the branches and trunk must be consistent among the three
For thicker trunks, one or two straight thick iron wires can be placed on one side or on both left and right sides of the trunk, wrapped with hemp husk, and the outer wire can be used with a trunk bender for bending and shaping.
The thickness of the wire selected for branches at each level should be suitable for bending. If too thick, it easily injures the bark and does not fit snugly, truly offending good taste; if too thin, the desired effect cannot be achieved. Only by selecting suitable wire can shaping give the branches strength, and the resulting branches and trunk appear mature and powerful. Before shaping, one may first test-bend the branch with the fingers to feel its softness or hardness. Branches of different trees (including different tree ages) vary in hardness and brittleness, so one can know which gauge of wire is suitable (best to use a branch pruned from the same tree for testing), how much force to use when bending, including the technical steps to apply, and verify whether the envisioned shape can be achieved. If during testing it seems unworkable, the conception can be changed, and the shape reorganized and adjusted according to perceptual knowledge. When winding wire, use all ten fingers together, especially both thumbs to slowly exert force and twist and bend, delivering the branch toward the envisioned curve. Sometimes it takes multiple bends and twists to achieve the required effect. Never be impatient or overly forceful. If the branch's own elastic bearing limit is exceeded, it will break. Generally, breaking through 1/2 is not a problem. After the wound is reset, wrap it with hemp husk for protection, then wind wire again for shaping. As far as possible, do not make large bends at the broken place; otherwise, although the branch may not die, it will affect the shaping and affect the whole image.
The final form of each bonsai work is by no means achieved through only one or two shaping sessions. During the cultivation stage, posture must be corrected repeatedly many times, and the form re-adjusted and protected. Only after many years does the ideal effect appear. Even if at the time the work is completed it is already quite good and, by standards, considered perfect, it still must be gradually improved and perfected through repeated strict readjustment, pruning, and other work, making the spirit and temperament even better. In future management, if the wire is found beginning to sink into the bark, it must be removed immediately to avoid affecting growth and damaging the form of the branches and trunk.
For small tree stumps, because growth speed is fast and the degree of lignification is not high, once the wire is removed, growth will become uncontrolled; therefore, wire must continue to be used for readjustment. When readjusting, the wire winding should be in the same direction as the original winding, but avoid the original binding marks, letting the tree re-enter the trajectory of artificial control. In this way, after a certain number of years, the plant will reach the ideal state and become a mature, finalized work without needing other objects to fix it.
After the wire wound around the main trunk reaches the top shoot, do not immediately cut off the excess wire. A section must be left as a lever for shaping. Hard trunk, including branches, can then be bent. After the form is fully shaped, press the wire end back and wind it tight, then cut off the excess wire.
Wire at branches and shoots
Leave a section as a lever to facilitate shaping; after completion, press back and cut off
Wire shaping
(1) Press the base of the wire firmly to facilitate shaping and prevent loosening.
(2) Using one wire for the trunk and branch makes shaping easier.
From the base of the main trunk, one must consider how to bend it into a posture. If it cannot be bent or cannot meet the required standard, consider changing the angle when planting, planting the trunk at a suitable slant to overcome the shortcoming of a stiff, straight base. When unpotting and shaping, pay attention to the mutual communication and connection between the slant of the main trunk and the branch pads. The first curve of the main trunk is key: it cannot have a “bulging belly” facing outward at the front; nor can a concave bend directly face the front, which would look awkward and affected, and moreover would seem repetitive with the forward lean of the crowning shoot. The concave bend, referring to the first bend above the root, can face sideways to the front at a 30° angle to the pot edge, avoiding the drawback of the arc surface being parallel to the pot edge and increasing the layered thickness of the trunk body.
The convex bend of the main trunk is the attachment point for main side branches, easily receiving sufficient sunlight and growing luxuriantly. The concave bend is where secondary side branches attach, relatively shaded and weak in growth. Depending on the situation, this branch may also be cut away to highlight important branches, or extended into a long branch (main branch) to receive ample sunlight.
The causes of natural bending and twisting in the trunk are natural gravity, physiological characteristics, and the effects of attraction, and so on. When giving posture to a tree stump, these internal factors should be consulted to make the shaping more reasonable.
Diagonal pulling of the stump promotes a concave bend in the main trunk.
(1) If the root and main trunk do not echo each other, appearing light, slippery, and unstable, the stump can be pulled diagonally to the right.
(2) If root and trunk echo each other, showing strength, pulling the stump diagonally to the right makes the shaping more reasonable.
Wire starts from the back of the main trunk.
Wind toward the left and right side branches; the starting angle of the wire should be small and tight to facilitate branch shaping.
Shaping the main trunk, with the lower bend
better than the upper part, showing the strength of the main body.
When shaping grafted seedlings, pay attention to protecting the graft union; carelessness can cause the healing junction to split. When winding wire for shaping, support the graft site firmly with wire as much as possible, and avoid this section when bending with force.
Support the graft union firmly with wire.
Bending to the right is not easy to split.
Bending to the left will split.
If the main trunk and hard branches cannot achieve the ideal effect with wire, other methods can be used to “force” twisting. One method is wire suspension binding: bend the trunk and branches to the required angle and secure them with wire. Protect the stress points on the bark of branches and trunk with bamboo strips, cloth pieces, rubber tubing, and so on, to prevent them from sinking into the bark and causing injury. The other end can be tied to the pot rim or the root base where force can be borne (protective measures are also required).
Suspension binding plus fixation
Another method is to cut iron rods 6 to 8 mm thick into lengths of about 20 cm and pre-bend them into the designed curvature (angle). At the bending part of the branch or trunk, first tie one end of the iron rod tightly with hemp husk, then use a trunk bender to gradually bend the trunk or branch to the same angle as the iron rod and temporarily fix it. Immediately tie and bind the other end and the whole iron rod tightly with hemp husk. Release the trunk bender and fixing cord and it is done. In this way, the trunk and branches are strictly controlled within the iron rod and will not rebound and lose form. If necessary, two iron rods of equal curvature can be clamped on the left and right of the bent part for an even better effect.
Pre-bending of the iron rod and its fixation
(1) Pre-bend a 6 to 8 mm iron rod into the required curvature. (2) Fix one end with wire.
Suspension binding fixation
(1) Bend the branch or trunk to the same curvature as the iron rod and bind it in suspension for fixation.
(2) Cross-section view: place one or two iron rods at the trunk to fix it.
A trunk bender can be made by oneself and can replace the drawback of being unable to bend by hand, making it more labor-saving, time-saving, safe, and reliable.
The trunk can also be split lengthwise from the middle from top to bottom, then wrapped entirely on the outside with hemp husk at moderate tightness, so that even what originally could not easily be bent can change posture. A trunk that truly cannot be bent can have its planting angle changed.
In addition, techniques such as engraving, carving, chiseling, splitting, tearing, grinding, etching, and dyeing can be used on the trunk to make up for original deficiencies and improve the ornamental effect.
The morphological momentum of the trunk can determine the future shaping of the work. Handling and shaping the trunk must conform to the overall conditions. Only when the main trunk has momentum can the changes in side branches, such as high and low, facing and backing, and uneven arrangement, be orderly arranged; only then can various connecting relationships be handled naturally, with crown, branches, and roots echoing one another. Therefore, the key to final form lies in the shaping and momentum of the main trunk. Often an ordinary tree, because the main trunk has momentum and its posture and angle are cleverly adjusted, can gain considerably in color and sometimes suddenly produce a “wondrous sight.”
If the main trunk cannot be bent, the planting posture can be changed.
When laying out, the main trunk from root to tip should not be completely exposed without reservation, nor should it be covered too much, making it too solid. It should mainly be concealed, with partial exposure, coordinating with the rear branch pads, so that the entire body appears substantial, full in layers, and displays a vivid posture of an ancient, robust trunk, free and easy side branches, and gnarled, vigorous small branches.
(4) Shaping of side branches: the shaping of branches must closely follow the main trunk and coordinate with the overall shaping. It is where the content of overall morphological variation lies. Branch forms are basically divided into three major postures: upward, drooping, and horizontal extending, with various further variations distinguished during shaping.
Side branch shaping
(1) For side branches, avoid horizontal branches as much as possible to avoid the drawback of being parallel to the pot edge.
(2) Main side branches should not be parallel to the pot edge.
Unreasonable side branch shaping
(1) Evenly distributed (2) Imbalanced weight
(3) Identical postures (4) Overly stable and rigid
Reasonable side branch shaping
Main branches, that is, first- and second-level branches, sometimes including third-level branches, coordinate with the main trunk to form the skeleton of the bonsai. The remaining secondary branches and so on are subordinate to the skeleton and serve to enrich the form. Generally, left and right branches are the key branches forming the main overall outer contour, and their relationships must be fully straightened out. Front and back branches serve to assist the left and right, regulate various relationships, and are the main branches organizing layers. Their bending is easier to control than that of the main trunk.
Each time the shaping of one level of branches is completed, immediately follow with fine shaping of the second- and third-level branches on the same branch. After the entire branch is completed, move to another side branch. Branches are transformed and perfected step by step from main to secondary, from bottom to top, from center to left and right (from inside outward), radiating front and back. In the distribution of branches, in addition to consciously arranging gathering and scattering, density and sparsity, and changing angles during shaping, one must also consider physiological and ecological reasonableness and the roles each branch plays in shaping and growth, so that the shaping looks good while the branches do not interfere with or shade one another. Otherwise, they will later wither.
Reasonable branch shaping
Reasonable branch distribution in bonsai
The bending of side branches should not appear on the same plane or the same straight line. In particular, the starting posture of each side branch on the main trunk is an important move for showing strength and adjusting angle relationships, except for small branches. In addition, side branches, that is, first-level branches, should as far as possible not use horizontal branches, because being horizontal with the pot edge has the drawback of repetition; inclined lines should be used, including the angular relationship with the pot edge. Their relationships of length, front and back, extending posture and angle, gathering and scattering, opening and closing, and so on should be based first on the shaping of the main trunk and second on the overall layout, changing flexibly. Their mutual connections, transitions and turns, and the process of gradual morphological change from root to tip must all be clearly accounted for.
For the crowning branch, follow the tree's posture and momentum, leaning toward the side-front. It is generally placed after the other branches. The direction of the crown represents where the front is and represents the sun-facing side. A forward lean implies warmth, friendliness, and modesty. The crown must have a certain proportion, including the strength of its shaping. If too large and thick, it gives a sense of top-heavy weight and can also affect the growth of the lower part; if too small and thin, it cannot hold down the formation and appears light at the top and heavy at the bottom.
5. Planting Method
Before planting, carefully scrape away soil from the roots and prune injured roots, dead or damaged roots, and obstructive roots. In addition, consider the planting position, depth, posture and angle, and spatial relationships (already considered during material selection, pot selection, and shaping). Only after deeming them conformable to standards and requirements should soil be added and planting completed.
After planting, a correction should also be made, adjusting the relationships among branch pads and carefully pruning each branch tip. Generally, the final length of first- and second-level branches is determined according to shaping needs, while the remaining branches at each level are left with one to three nodes, or two to four leaves. On the one hand, this facilitates the future sprouting of more new branches and leaves, making the branch pads more luxuriant, dense, and healthy, and it can also reduce loss after surgery. Lack of pruning or unreasonable pruning will only make small branches slender and weak, lacking short nodes and branching. Root pruning is the same, to promote the growth of more fibrous roots. For tree species with strong sprouting and vigorous growth, such as elm, Chinese holly, and Japanese privet, strong pruning can be carried out so that nutrients are concentrated in a few retained branches; the new branches that sprout afterward will be thick and strong, and can sprout and thicken even better than the original old stubs, making shaping easier. Do not simply think that old branches and old stubs show age and have good posture, and feel it is a pity to remove them. Little do you know that these branches and stubs will affect growth and later be unsatisfactory. Only renewal has prospects for development. For certain evergreen conifers and tree species with poor sprouting rates, act cautiously.
When planting, to resolve the balance relationships and space in the picture, consider the tree's shaping momentum and combine it with the size and shape of the pot. Do not insist on planting in the middle of the pot (referring to comprehensive-appreciation bonsai).
Pot planting position
(1) The middle part of the tree crown opposite the middle part of the pot is standard planting.
(2) The tree and pot are unbalanced, seeming top-heavy.
When planting, carefully place medium around the roots and into gaps around the roots, and pound it firm evenly, but not as evenly as rammed earth; it should be pounded firm in a plum-blossom dot pattern. Water and maintain it; water can also be supplied by absorption.
If the tree stump is found to be loose, seek the cause: whether there are too few roots and the pot is shallow so it is not planted firmly, or whether there are hard roots pushing up; whether the medium is too loose or was not pressed tight, and so on. Find the cause and solve each one. For shallow pots, bind firmly up and down with fine wire to prevent loosening, affecting fibrous root growth, and to aid wound healing.
Bind with wire to prevent the tree from loosening.
When planting, consider the spatial relationships on the vertical plane and the horizontal plane. On the vertical plane, places without branches or leaves are blank space; on the pot surface (pot face), places without trees or objects (grass, moss, stones, display pieces) are also blank space. Places where branches and leaves should be kept must be kept well. After planting is finalized, carefully analyze and inspect again, including various contrast relationships. Whatever does not fit the composition should be handled as it should be, and one must never be sloppy. The purpose is to perfect the shape and highlight the subject. Lay green moss over exposed surface soil. Reasonable, plain, elegant green velvet-like fresh moss has a certain effect on the picture. Although “nothing,” it is better than something, greatly enhancing the ornamental effect of the work and showing a sign of maturity, commonly called acclimatized to the pot. Unlike a work just potted, which exposes the “fire” of new soil, it seems to come from nature, not like a tree stump planted by humans.
Dry long-haired moss can also be used to cover it, nailed firmly with wire, reducing evaporation and erosion of potting soil. Covering with broken pot pieces follows the same principle; remove it after the tree's fibrous roots are well developed and the soil's physical structure has reorganized. This method is used in the cultivation of raised-root and exposed-root bonsai; after maturity, remove the covering and let moss grow.
For general solitary-appreciation bonsai, the treatment of the pot surface is relatively simple; only consider whether it is necessary to expose the roots, with no other artistic embellishment. When laying moss, it should be slightly lower than the pot rim to facilitate future watering and fertilizing.
For comprehensive-appreciation bonsai, planting is more complex. There is no fixed pattern or position; it must be decided according to comprehensive conditions such as the thickness, height, and posture of the tree stumps. When arranging, they may be near or far, gathered or scattered, with countless variations. Arrange and compare in the pot according to contrast variations such as primary and secondary, repeatedly adjusting, and when satisfied, add soil and plant well. When adding soil for planting, prevent displacement; even the slightest movement is not allowed. During planting, focus on the main tree, and also consider the viewer's line of sight. The rises and falls, opening and closing of the pot surface for a group of trees are determined according to the distribution of the tree stumps. The terrain under the main tree is higher and the area is also larger; the terrain under the guest trees is relatively lower and the area smaller. The terrain of the main group is higher than that of the secondary group, with a low valley between the two terrain groups. Stone arrangement and grass planting are also determined according to the theme, with various contrast variations serving around the theme.
If during planting there are obstructive long roots or hard roots that are inconvenient to cut off and cannot be positioned, including planting depth and posture angle, such roots can be cut into a wedge shape at an acceptable position, about one-half the root diameter deep, so that the angle can be changed in the opposite direction (Figures 4-138 and 4-139). Insert stone pieces and so on into the wedge opening to prevent rebound, and then planting can proceed. The wound will slowly heal later.
The pot cannot accommodate the hard roots
After the roots are cut into wedge shapes and bent, they can be planted into the pot
6. Planting position
For static trees with little dynamic movement, round or square pots are generally suitable, planted in the middle of the pot, positioned in the center so that the surrounding space is balanced, giving a feeling of stability, grandeur, and enduring firmness.
For trees with dynamic movement, such as the slanting style, the position is not determined by the roots being in the middle of the pot, but rather by placing the treetop in the middle of the pot, so the roots may sometimes be positioned near the back corner of a long pot. The space within the pot then loses its sense of balance, and the remaining part of the pot surface will feel noticeably empty and loose, overpowering the planted tree with a sense of weightlessness. This loss of control in the horizontal space affects the contrast and variation of size in the vertical space, so long branches or cascading branches must be used to fill in or accent the terrain, and rocks or small grasses to achieve balance.
A suitable planting position will enhance the expression of artistic conception. For example, a dynamic tree should break the balance and be planted off-center, so that the dynamic movement tends toward the middle of the pot or extends beyond the pot. The planting position is basically constrained by the tree stump's styling, and the tree stump's styling can determine the planting position; the two complement each other.
The tree's dynamic movement
(1) (4) Thin and small with no dynamic movement, lacking spirit
(2) (3) Thick and sturdy with spirit, full of dynamic movement
When multiple trees are planted in one pot to simulate the appearance of deep mountains and old forests, the main tree is planted in an obvious and most prominent position, paying attention to its posture, spirit, and bearing; it is called the dominant tree. The remaining trees vary in number and height, with varying density and spacing, changing naturally, ensuring that left and right, front and back, and top and bottom echo and connect with one another, all serving a single integrated composition. The natural combination must never leave traces of artificial arrangement. During planting, further verify the relationships of variation and contrast, making them appear more natural and overcoming flaws of repetition and artificiality. Otherwise, if problems are discovered only after everything is fully planted, redoing the work causes considerable trouble and may even affect the quality of growth.
Long-term cultivation for a perfect form
(1) Young tree (2) Mature tree
How to repot a tree stump bonsai
April is a good time to repot bonsai. Potted trees grow in limited pot soil; after a certain number of years, the fertility is exhausted, the soil layer becomes compacted, and the root system becomes densely packed and squeezed together, making it difficult for new roots to grow. It is best to switch to a larger pot and fill it with fresh soil (changing the soil without changing the pot is also acceptable) to ensure the normal growth of the potted tree; experts customarily call this "repotting." Repotting interval: for flowering types, once every other year; for deciduous miscellaneous trees, once every 2 to 3 years; for pines and cypresses, once every 3 to 4 years. By tree age: miniature bonsai, because of the small pot, once a year; young trees, once every 2 years; mature trees, once every 2 to 3 years; old trees, once every 4 to 5 years. Repotting season: generally it can be done in both spring and autumn, with spring being better. In spring, usually from late February to late April; in autumn, mid-October to mid-November is preferable. However, because the physiological characteristics of potted trees differ, the repotting season also varies. For example, the elm is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, so it can be repotted around the period of Great Cold; whereas orange jasmine, Fujian tea, Japanese privet, and small-leaved banyan all share the traits of liking warmth and fearing cold, so repotting should properly be done around Qingming. Repotting method: before repotting, the pot soil should be slightly dry. Use a bamboo stick to loosen part of the soil around the edges of the tree stump, then turn the pot upside down and lift it, so the potted tree comes out together with the soil. Use a bamboo stick to remove the old soil around the root system, but the clump of soil attached to the roots must be retained. How much soil clump to retain varies according to tree species. For pines and cypresses, about half can be retained, while for elm, skyflower, azalea, gardenia, and tree species with many fine roots that grow easily, most of the old soil can be removed. Next, cut off some aged fibrous roots to encourage new root growth. Before repotting, prepare dry soil or river mud and divide it into three grades: coarse, medium, and fine. The coarse grade is about the size of a thumb. Cover the drainage hole with a curved tile, place the coarse soil particles at the bottom of the pot to aid drainage and aeration, and position the tree stump in an appropriate place in the pot (the ratio between tree and pot edge should generally be 4:6 or 3:7, that is, the tree should be slightly offset to any one side, left, right, front, or back). Place the slightly finer soil around the base of the tree stump, pressing it close to the roots, then cover the pot surface with coarse soil, insert a bamboo stick to firm it tightly against the soil, and press it down so the tree stump is stable. Then water twice with a watering can; the first watering can be called the settling water, judged by seeing water seep from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. After about 15 minutes, water a second time, making sure the roots and branches fully absorb it. Place it in a cool, wind-sheltered spot. After that, water once every three or four days, and mist the tree body once or twice a day. Only after a week move it to the open air to receive sunlight, and do not fertilize within one month. For a newly repotted tree stump, it is best to cut off all the leaves to reduce water evaporation. The pot being used must be washed clean. If using an old pot, first scrub it clean and dry it in the sun before use; if using a newly purchased pot, soak it in water for one or two days, commonly called "removing the fire," so it absorbs water before use.
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